This training programme aims to provide a newly qualified General Practitioner with knowledge and skills in public health. This forms part of a wider aim to recruit and retain GPs in County Durham. The participants will be employed by the CCG with a contract that offers an optional attachment to the Durham County Council public health team. The participant will be working on the public health component of their contract for one day per week for 2 years.

In particular this programme will enhance the GPs area of capability in caring for the whole person and the wider community (community oriented primary care). Community oriented primary care is about the management of the health and social care of the local population. It includes understanding the need to build on community engagement and resilience and the relationship between family and community-based interventions, as well as the global and multi-cultural aspects of delivering evidence-based, sustainable healthcare.

The programme is set to start in April 2017, initially this will be with the public health team at County Hall. After this initial phase is complete the participant will spend more time within their practice, working with the GP Federations, alongside colleagues in the CCG as well as time with their project and educational supervisor in public health.